27/09/2025

SATURDAY | SEPT 27, 2025

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

6

Kelantanese fishermen snack making waves

‘Flying roti canai’ steals show at Thai reception

KOTA BHARU: A fishermen snack created more than 40 years ago, known as “keropok daun kesum” (Vietnamese coriander crackers), or “Keropok Laila”, is gaining attention and has the potential to break into international markets, despite challenges in production and location. Entrepreneur Ummi Nur Nadia Hassan, 29, said the special recipe was passed down from her father, Hassan Bakar, 61, who has preserved the traditional fisherman family processing method in Kampung Kuala Besar. “The origins of the keropok can be traced back to a simple dish prepared by fishermen at sea using fresh fish, kesum leaves, onions and chilies. From there, this unique keropok was born and has been known as Keropok Laila to this day. “As to the name Laila, it could have been the name of the person who created the recipe. But for us, it is a mark of appreciation for the legacy of fishermen who came up with the idea over four decades ago,” she told Bernama when met at the Kuala Besar jetty recently. The thin, round crackers are fried until crispy, making them popular as a snack that can also be consumed with dipping sauce. According to Ummi Nur Nadia, the main ingredients consist of fresh “selayang” fish, starch, onions, chilies and kesum leaves. For every 5kg of fish, about 200g of chilies and two bundles of kesum leaves are used. The mixture is then kneaded and shaped by hand into round pieces. Demand for Keropok Laila at times reaches 8,000 packets a day, with orders as high as 10,000 packets, including from customers in Sabah. “However, we cannot meet the demand due o Handmade crunchy tidbit known as ‘Keropok Laila’ generates wide demand locally, with potential to penetrate global market

BANGKOK: Malaysia’s famous “flying roti canai” stole the limelight at a reception hosted by the Malaysian Embassy on Thursday for the country’s 68th National Day. Chef Mohamad Arshad wowed the crowd with his impressive roti canai tossing skills, sending the plate-shaped dough soaring high into the air to cheers and applause, while many guests recorded videos of the spectacle. Guests were treated to a sumptuous spread of Malaysian delicacies, including nasi lemak, curry mee, soto ayam, teh tarik, char koay teow, roti john and satay . Held at a Bangkok hotel, the event drew more than 600 attendees, including foreign diplomats, Malaysian professionals, business leaders and representatives from the Malaysian-Thai Chamber of Commerce, Kelab Malaysia of Thailand and Malaysians in Bangkok. Guests of honour included Thai National Assembly president and House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor Matha, Public Health Minister Pattana Promphat and Agriculture and Cooperatives Deputy Minister Amin Mayusoh. In his speech, Malaysian Embassy Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Thailand Bong Yik Jui said Malaysia and Thailand share enduring ties, strengthened by growing trade and frequent high-level exchanges that affirm their commitment to deepening cooperation. He added that Thailand has consistently ranked as Malaysia’s second-largest trading partner within Asean since 2020, with bilateral trade reaching US$26 billion (RM109.77 billion) in 2024, a 3.9% increase from the previous year. “We are setting an ambitious target of raising bilateral trade to US$30 billion by 2027. “Politically, leaders of both nations have maintained close engagement. Since Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim assumed office in 2023, he has visited Thailand six times. These high-level exchanges underscore Malaysia’s commitment to deepening ties,” he said. – Bernama

The thin, round crackers are fried until crispy, making them popular as a snack that can also be consumed with dipping sauce. – BERNAMAPIC

additional support to expand production capacity and penetrate the global market. In addition to being sold at the Kuala Besar jetty, the frozen keropok is also sold online, attracting regular customers from Kuala Lumpur, Johor, Kedah, Penang and Perak, with daily sales averaging RM1,000. “Alhamdulillah , many people like it because the taste is unique and different from ordinary keropok . I hope one day Keropok Laila would be famous not only in Malaysia but also abroad.”

to limited manpower and equipment,” she said. Making the keropok requires physical endurance as the entire process is done manually and requires long hours of standing, quickly shaping the mixture and frying it. The product cannot be made using machines, as the texture would not be the same as the handmade version. Ummi Nur Nadia added that the Fisheries Department has provided guidance and advice for her business operations, but she hopes to get